Library of Essays on Antitrust and Competition Law – Serie

Antitrust is fast becoming a ’trending topic’, with over 120 countries having already adopted some form of competition legislation. This volume brings together carefully selected articles which reflect the evolution and progression of the regulation of joint conduct under competition law on both sides of the Atlantic, and which discuss principles of fundamental importance for antitrust law. The articles focus on various kinds of joint conduct between companies which might bear negative effects on competition, in particular on horizontal cartels and collusion between competitors. Attention is also paid to the debate surrounding the most adequate approach for vertical agreements, which take place between firms operating at different levels of production. Their effects on competition have traditionally been one of the most disputed issues in modern antitrust, and tend to divide the principal schools of thought that have influenced the evolution of competition policy around the world. The articles look primarily at two of the most established antitrust jurisdictions, namely the United States and the European Union. They discuss the general theoretical framework that has influenced the evolution of the law and policy; cover the most relevant practical developments; provide contrasting doctrinal views and pay particular attention to the main schools of thought that have influenced antitrust in the US and the EU; and are representative of the leading discussions in the course of antitrust history.

Mergers and acquisitions occur for many legitimate reasons and should be encouraged as a matter of general policy, yet the resulting increase in the level of market concentration and market strength can lead to concerns that certain ’deals’ may irreparably damage the market structure and create anti-competitive effects. This volume explores the competition concerns arising out of mergers and acquisitions, the reasons for merger control and the fundamental options that face all jurisdictions intent on implementing an effective merger control regime. The volume acts as a guide through the development of merger control law, policy and scholarly thought and includes commentary on each of the key stages of any effective merger control regime. The articles consider the objectives of merger control and the broader political landscape within which mergers take place; the procedural issues in merger control, including jurisdictional matters and due process; the different substantive legal standards incorporated into merger control; the relevant theories of harm and the appropriate treatment of efficiencies; and the use of remedies in merger control. The chosen articles mainly, but not exclusively, focus on the US and EU, and several adopt a cross-disciplinary approach encompassing law, political science and economics.

Antitrust and competition law is a fast moving area of law and the subject of extensive academic research. The aim of this volume is to select articles as tools for understanding how antitrust and competition law is applied to unilateral conduct which is harmful to the consumer and to the competitiveness of the market. The articles examine the meaning of dominance and monopolisation and show that although legal and economic rules have been developed to establish whether undertakings hold such strong market positions, it is often difficult to determine with certainty that the undertaking being investigated meets the threshold. The various debates on pricing and non-pricing conduct are also represented as are the conflicts that have arisen regarding the exercise of intellectual property rights by powerful undertakings, particularly in the context of the new economies. The volume includes scholarly articles published on both sides of the Atlantic and enables a greater understanding of the application of antitrust and competition law from the point of view of economics and politics.

Mergers and acquisitions occur for many legitimate reasons and should be encouraged as a matter of general policy, yet the resulting increase in the level of market concentration and market strength can lead to concerns that certain ’deals’ may irreparably damage the market structure and create anti-competitive effects. This volume explores the competition concerns arising out of mergers and acquisitions, the reasons for merger control and the fundamental options that face all jurisdictions intent on implementing an effective merger control regime. The volume acts as a guide through the development of merger control law, policy and scholarly thought and includes commentary on each of the key stages of any effective merger control regime. The articles consider the objectives of merger control and the broader political landscape within which mergers take place; the procedural issues in merger control, including jurisdictional matters and due process; the different substantive legal standards incorporated into merger control; the relevant theories of harm and the appropriate treatment of efficiencies; and the use of remedies in merger control. The chosen articles mainly, but not exclusively, focus on the US and EU, and several adopt a cross-disciplinary approach encompassing law, political science and economics.